Certification

Certified translations

A certified translation is the translation of an official document required by non-governmental organisations. With over 16 years’ professional experience, we have translated a wide variety of official documents for institutions such as universities, schools, insurance providers and potential future employers. Typically we translate documents which include:

Birth certificates

Wedding certificates

Academic certificates

Diplomas and transcripts

Insurance documents

Employment contracts

Household bills

Medical reports

We translate the document, allocate an appropriate reference number, and sign and date the document before returning it with a certificate which confirms translation by a qualified translator. We state our belief of the documents’ veracity and accuracy, before confirming our membership of a professional translation body.

Notarised translations

We regularly perform notarised translations for governmental and legal bodies. The process of notarisation is more formal than certification, requiring the translator’s presence in the office of a public notary to make a verbal and written oath that the translation is honest and true. The notary will then mark the translation with a certified stamp. The original documents are often required at this point, so you should check these are available from the body requesting the legalisation.

Legalisation / Apostille translations

This level of certification is reserved for documents which are to be used overseas in countries which comply with the Hague Convention. Documents that fall into the legalisation translation certification include those supporting:

Overseas marriages

Adoption

Visas

Job applications

The process is the same as notarisation certification with the exception of the requirement for the original document. The translated documents are then sent to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where an official completes a final document to confirm the individual signing the notarisation has the authority to do so. This final document is proof all legal avenues have been completed and the authenticity of the document should not be contested.

Sworn Translation

Common examples of Sworn translations include:

Title deeds

School certificates

Degrees and diplomas

Affidavits

Witness statements

Court rulings

While there are no set sworn translation requirements to adhere to, the translator must ensure the translated document can be compared and ‘verified’ against the original. In practice, this means the general layout of the text must remain as close to the original as is possible.

Contact us

Go on, get in touch. We’re professional linguists, so we love to talk! To discuss your translation project, please call: